National Survey of Lymphedema Therapists’ Dosing of Complete Decongestive Therapy in Breast Cancer Survivors with Lymphedema

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify dosing levels of complete decongestive therapy (CDT) with survivors with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema (BCRL) and describe factors related to how occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, and physical therapists assistants with advanced lymphedema training determine dosing. Methods: An electronic survey was sent to 598 occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, and physical therapists assistants with training in lymphedema. Respondents completed questions regarding demographics, dosing practices, and factors related to dose determination in complete decongestive therapy of survivors with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema. Results: 107 surveys were returned (18% response rate). Most of the respondents (95.1%) reported providing less than the recommended daily dosing (7x/wk) of complete decongestive therapy to their survivors with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema. The mean dosing of complete decongestive therapy from respondents was approximately half of the recommended daily dosing (M=3.71). A statistically significant Pearson’s correlation was noted among frequency of dosing and treatment adherence (r=.275) and frequency of dosing and treatment readiness (r=.242). A multiple regression analysis found adherence accounted for a significant proportion of variability in dosing frequency (R²=.077; F change p Conclusions: A majority of therapists treating survivors with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema in an outpatient setting are not following daily recommended dosing of complete decongestive therapy. Clinicians’ dose determination is significantly impacted by their perception of a survivor’s readiness and adherence to lymphedema treatment and self-management. Comparative clinical outcomes studies of various therapeutic dosage levels (times per week) and duration (length of delivery) of complete decongestive therapy are imperative for development of best treatment protocols for survivors with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema. This study serves as a first step toward evidence based planning for complete decongestive therapy treatment of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

Effects of process conditions on foaming in stirred tanks

International audienceThe effect of impeller speed and type, as well as gas flow rate on the amount of foam generated in a 5L stirred tank has been studied. Foam height was found to increase with increasing impeller speed after a critical impeller speed was reached. It also increased with increasing gas flow rate. The disc turbine creates significantly more foam than the down-pumping hydrofoil for a given tip speed. Scale-up guidance to correctly replicate the amount of foaming in larger scale tank was also investigated. It was found that impeller tip speed was the best scale-up invariant, compared with power per unit volume and the Weber and Froude numbers. It is less clear, however, which is the best scale-up invariant for the gas flow rate; aeration number appears more adapted than the superficial gas velocity or the ratio of gas flow rate to liquid volume, however it does not always correctly replicate the gas-liquid flow regime

Proposed Coupling of an Electron Spin in a Semiconductor Quantum Dot to a Nanosize Optical Cavity

We propose a scheme to efficiently couple a single quantum dot electron spin to an optical nano-cavity, which enables us to simultaneously benefit from a cavity as an efficient photonic interface, as well as to perform high fidelity (nearly 100%) spin initialization and manipulation achievable in bulk semiconductors. Moreover, the presence of the cavity speeds up the spin initialization process beyond GHz.Comment: 6 figure

Геодивайдер 102–103° в.д. в современной структуре литосферы Центральной Азии

A quasi-linear zone of noticeable geological and geophysical changes, which coincides approximately with 102–103° E meridians, is termed by the authors as “geodivider”. Active submeridional faults are observed predominantly along the zone and coincide with its strike. Seismicity is most intensive in the central part of this zone, from the Lake Baikal to the Three Rivers Region at the Sino-Myanmar frontier. Transects with deep seismic sections and energy dissipation graphs show most sharply increasing seismic energy amounts and hypocenter depths in the western part of the geodivider which delimits (in the first approximation) the Central Asian and East Asian transitional zones between the North Eurasian, Indian and Pacific lithosphere plates. The transpression tectonic regime dominates west of the geodivider under the influence of the Hindustan Indentor pressure, and the transtension regime prevails east of it due to the Pacific subduction slab submergence and continuation. The regime change coincides with an abrupt increase in the crust thickness – from 35–40 km to 45–70 km – west of the geodivider, as reflected in the geophysical fields and metallogenic characteristics of the crust. The direction of P- and S-waves anisotropy together with the GPS data show decoupling layers of the crust and mantle in the southern part of the geodivider. According to our investigations, the 102–103° E geodivider is a regional geological-geophysical border that may be compared with the Tornquist Line, and, by its scale, with the Uralian and Appalachian fronts and some others large structures.Квазилинейная зона заметных геологических и геофизических изменений совпадает приблизительно с меридианами 102–103° в.д. Активные субмеридиональные разломы развиты в этой зоне, названной авторами геодивайдером 102–103° в.д. Наиболее интенсивная сейсмичность характеризует центральную часть геодивайдера от озера Байкал до региона Трех рек на границе Китая и Мианмар. Проведение трансектов с глубинными сейсмическими разрезами и графиками диссипации сейсмической энергии показывает преимущественно резкое возрастание объемов сейсмической энергии и глубины гипоцентров на западном крыле геодивайдера. Геодивайдер разделяет, в первом приближении, Центрально-Азиатскую и Восточно-Азиатскую транзитные зоны между Северо-Евразийской, Индийской и Тихоокеанской литосферными плитами. Тектонический режим транспрессии преобладает к западу от геодивайдера под влиянием давления Индостанского индентора, и режим транстенсии распространен к востоку от него, благодаря глубокому погружению и продолжению Тихоокеанского слэба. Смена режимов совпадает с резким увеличением мощности коры к западу от геодивайдера от 35–40 до 45–70 км, отражающимся в геофизических полях и коровых металлогенических характеристиках. Направление P- и S-волн анизотропии наряду с данными GPS показывает их несовпадение в различных слоях коры и мантии в южной части геодивайдера. По результатам наших исследований геодивайдер 102–103° в.д. представляет собой тип геолого-геофизической границы, сопоставимой с линией Торнквиста, по масштабу с Уральским и Аппалачским фронтами и с рядом других крупных структур

Reverse Detection of Short-Term Earthquake Precursors

We introduce a new approach to short-term earthquake prediction based on the concept of selforganization of seismically active fault networks. That approach is named "Reverse Detection of Precursors" (RDP), since it considers precursors in reverse order of their appearance. This makes it possible to detect precursors undetectable by direct analysis. Possible mechanisms underlying RDP are outlined. RDP is described with a concrete example: we consider as short-term precursors the newly introduced chains of earthquakes reflecting the rise of an earthquake correlation range; and detect (retrospectively) such chains a few months before two prominent Californian earthquakes - Landers, 1992, M = 7.6, and Hector Mine, 1999, M = 7.3, with one false alarm. Similar results (described elsewhere) are obtained by RDP for 21 more strong earthquakes in California (M >= 6.4), Japan (M >= 7.0) and the Eastern Mediterranean (M >= 6.5). Validation of the RDP approach requires, as always, prediction in advance for which this study sets up a base. We have the first case of advance prediction; it was reported before Tokachi-oki earthquake (near Hokkaido island, Japan), Sept. 25, 2003, M = 8.1. RDP has potentially important applications to other precursors and to prediction of other critical phenomena besides earthquakes. In particular, it might vindicate some short-term precursors, previously rejected as giving too many false alarms.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Interference effects in two-photon ATI by multiple orders high harmonics with random or locked phases

We numerically study 2-photon processes using a set of harmonics from a Ti:Sapphire laser and in particular interference effects in the Above Threshold Ionization spectra. We compare the situation where the harmonic phases are assumed locked to the case where they have a random distribution. Suggestions for possible experiments, using realistic parameters are discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, LaTe